Blindsided
by WritingOnTheStars
Summary: When Neji is wounded during a mission, Tenten tries to help him discover what the word 'sight' truly means. NejiTen.
1. Flash

This story is set within the manga time line, during the time skip. Hence, Naruto and Sasuke are not around. That makes Neji, Tenten and Lee around 15 in this story. Neji is a recently promoted jounin with both Tenten and Lee as chuunin. Obviously, this is a Team Gai centric story, with emphasis on Neji and Tenten. Enjoy!

* * *

**Flash**

"Are you sure those are the only options, Hokage-sama?" asked an incredibly pacified Gai.

"Yes. The medic-nins and I have gone over all the test results multiple times," the powerful woman responded. "He has three weeks to decide. By then the damage will be irreversible."

Tenten listened from her spot at Neji's bedside. _Sure, he'll decide... If he lives though the shock. _

Lee was sobbing into her shoulder, but the weapon's mistress paid him no attention. Gai walked solemnly over to the unoccupied side of Neji's hospital bed with a frown that didn't seem to fit his face. "As your leader, I feel responsible for this."

"Oh Gai-sensei!" Lee leaped over Neji and landed in Gai's arms, tears still streaming down his face. "You are at no fault for this! If you must blame someone, blame me!" Lee struck a dramatic pose and began crying even harder, choking on his own sobs.

"My youthful Lee!" Gai gathered Lee in his embrace with sparkling eyes. "We should not blame one another! No, this is a time for team togetherness! We must all stick together for Neji's sake!"

"Honestly," Tenten said as she finally spoke up, "I think he would prefer that you both stop being so loud while he's trying to sleep." She would have glared at them for their childish antics, but she didn't have the energy. _Besides, it's just their way of dealing with the situation,_ she reminded herself. "Lee, I thought you were supposed to be examined for further head trauma?"

He slapped his hands to the sides of his face in a more dramatic gesture than normal. "Alas, you are correct Tenten! In my worry for poor Neji I have disregarded my health! For Neji's sake I shall assure a clean bill of health!" declared Lee as he sprung at the door.

"Ah, my young Lee! I shall accompany you in your excursion!" Gai bounded out behind him, leaving Tenten alone in the room with the sleeping Neji.

_Yeah, just leave me to tell him the news, _she thought, but knew it was best this way. _Hearing it from them would just make him angrier._

Tenten sighed and buried her face in her hands. _But the question is, how do I tell him? He'll be crushed...

* * *

_

_2 days earlier - _

"Ah, my youthful team! With the fire of adventure burning brightly beneath our feet, we shall set out on our mission!" Gai announced in his normal way, with one of his favorite poses and a flash from his sparkling teeth.

"Yes, Gai-sensei! We shall accomplish our mission with speed and precision!" Lee replied as he mirrored his role model's pose. Tenten could practically see the sunset they were pretending was behind them.

"Can we just leave?" Neji asked irritably, crossing his arms.

Tenten just smiled and shrugged. "Why not let them have their fun?" she asked, rearranging the large scroll supported on her back. "It's not like they're hurting anyone."

He frowned. "But they just might be killing me a little on the inside."

Tenten giggled, even though Neji wasn't trying to be funny. He just ignored her.

"So! Let us see what we shall be doing on this fine day!" Gai pulled out a scroll from nowhere, considering Neji and Tenten couldn't figure out where the pockets on their sensei's hideous jumpsuit were hidden. "Ah! Our mission is to hunt through the forest on the north-eastern border of the Fire country and retrieve an important scroll lost during a mission!"

"How could that even happen?" Tenten questioned.

"It seems as though the ones who were to deliver the scroll to the Hokage were ambushed! They returned with major injuries, but no scroll!" Gai explained as he tossed the mission note aside. "We have been given our task! We must make haste and retrieve this important information!"

A couple hours later the group found themselves at the edge of an expansive forest. "So, Gai-sensei, in which area was the scroll dropped?" Tenten asked, scanning the horizon for the other edge of the forest. It seemed to never end.

"I have absolutely no idea!" Gai said with another pose.

All three of them fell to the ground.

"You mean... We have to search the ENTIRE forest?" Neji exclaimed. Gai just kept smiling. "This forest is so large even the Byakugan wouldn't be able to easily find the scroll..."

"Then we shall have to look by hand! What an adventure!" Lee jumped up and posed with Gai once again.

Neji and Tenten just starred.

"We shall split into two groups! The youthful energy between Lee and myself shall aid us in our search together!" Gai said as Lee started crying.

"Oh Gai-sensei! You have chosen to come with me?"

Gai grinned and grabbed Lee by the shoulders. "Of course! You and I shall make quick work of the east side of the forest!" Suddenly the older jounin had appeared between Neji and Tenten, wrapping an arm around each of them. "You both shall surely be able to search the west side! With Neji's impeccable vision and Tenten's eye for traps, you shall be expedient! Keep in touch with the radio, Neji!"

Gai was replaced by a puff of smoke as he appeared next to Lee once again, leaving Neji and Tenten uncomfortably close to one another. "We shall meet," he told them as he pointed at the sun hanging high in the sky, "back here at night fall, if not before! Dismissed!" Both he and Lee sprinted to the east, leaving a trail of dust in their wake.

"What was Hokage-sama thinking when she sent us on this mission?" Neji complained as he and Tenten walking calmly into the forest. "Those two are too overly excited to find anything."

"Well, we'll just have to trust them to look thoroughly enough," she replied, looking around. "But I don't like this place. It feels like... I don't know... like there's someone else here."

Neji raised an eyebrow. "It is a rather large forest, Tenten. Others are bound to be here."

A frown creased her smooth face. "I suppose..."

The Hyuuga genius turned. "Byakugan!" he said as the veins bulged near his temples. He started scanning the section of the forest, leaving Tenten to watch him.

_His eyes are fascinating,_ she thought. _It still amazes me that_ _he can see chakra patterns and mold attacks for any person. Truly incredible._ Neji signaled that there was nothing within his range, so they moved on with Tenten in front looking for traps and Neji watching her back.

* * *

Four and a half hours later, Tenten leaned against a tree trunk. "Where in the world did they lose this thing?"

Neji, looking frustrated, stood beside her. "I don't know, but it's almost sunset." He quietly activated the small radio in his ear. "Gai? Have you and Lee found anything?"

He was silent. Tenten took a deep breath of the forest air. _He's my teammate,_ Tenten told herself. _So why have I been nervous all day? I'm sure Neji could notice, even without the Byakugan. Every time he touched me today I would flinch! I'm a ninja, damn it! That shouldn't happen! _She rubbed her hands together against the suddenly chilly night air. _But that might have to do with the fact that this forest has been sending me bad vibes all day._ The weapons mistress watched him blow a piece of hair from his face as he waited for Gai to answer the radio and felt her cheeks become warm against the cool breeze. _Okay, maybe not entirely..._

"Tenten." She was snapped quickly out of her thoughts by Neji's command.

"Yeah? How are Lee and Gai-sensei?" she responded.

He frowned at her. "He's not answering the radio, causing me to believe something is wrong."

Without another word, both of them soared into the trees and headed east.

* * *

When they arrived they found that Lee was unconscious near a tree, bleeding profusely from a gash somewhere beneath his bowl-like hair style. Gai was fighting off four strange shinobi at once, looking exhausted.

Tenten was about to leap out into the fray, but Neji grabbed her shoulder. Ignoring the way her skin tingled under his hand, she looked at his face. "What?"

He quietly activated his bloodline limit and scanned the area. "The ninja with the red scarf has the scroll in the pack on his hip."

She understood. "I'll get it, get Lee out of there and continue an assault from a distance."

He nodded and they both hopped into the fight.

"Ah!" Gai exclaimed, his expression brightening instantly. "I see now we shall have a more even fight!"

Tenten immediately went after the one with the scroll. Considering that she was a master of long distance attacking, Tenten thought herself to be fairly good at hand-to-hand combat. Within minutes she had the enemy, whom she discovered was a sound nin, pinned to the ground with his hands clasped behind his back. _I think I accidentally broke one of his arms,_ she mused as she quickly ripped open his bag and pocketed the scroll. _Oh well._ The sound nin was out cold with a hard elbow to the temple. _I'm sure the Konoha interrogators would love to talk to this guy._

With her part of the mission completed, she risked a quick glance to her left. One of the enemy ninjas was unconscious, his limp body lying in wood chips that used to be a tree. Gai was beating on the largest one, who's body seemed able to deflect most of his physical attacks. Neji had his Byakugan activated and was preparing for an attack, the veins on his temples pulsing.

Resisting the urge to jump into the fight, she made her way over to Lee and tossed him over her shoulder. Using all her strength, Tenten hopped into the tree that she and Neji previously occupied and sat her teammate against the trunk. _It doesn't look that bad,_ she thought as she lifted his sleek hair back to examine the gash, _but enough to knock him out cold. _

After making sure Lee wouldn't fall out of the tree, she checked to make sure the scroll was still in her pocket. She quickly pulled it out. _It looks like an average scroll... I wonder what this important information is, anyway? _Tenten put it away and pulled the massive scroll off her back.

With a flick of her wrist, the large cylinder started unraveling in her arms. Tenten quickly twisted and spun the scroll around her, summoning her specialty weapons. After another quick motion, she determined her targets. "Neji! Gai-sensei!" she called out. Wordlessly the two jumped out of the way and allowed the hundreds of projectiles to hit the sound nins.

Suddenly Gai's eyes became wide. "Neji! Move away from the targets!" he exclaimed as he bolted toward his student and fellow jounin.

"What?" Neji turned toward Gai.

Before he could push Neji out of the way, the large sound nin grinned and exploded with an incredible flash. Tenten covered herself and Lee with her scroll to attempt to protect them. She didn't need to look at the aftermath to figure out what had happened. _The large one wasn't even a live human... It was a dead body, being manipulated like a puppet and installed with a bomb! The other sound nins are either dead or long gone..._

She sat her scroll near the still unconscious Lee and hopped out of the tree. The large puppet-like ninja was no more and the other sound nin were gone, just as she had predicted. "Neji! Gai-sensei!" she exclaimed as she darted over to where Gai was bent over the Hyuuga. "Gai-sensei, are you all right?"

He looked up to her and gave her a halfhearted grin. "Yes, our dear flower, I'm fine. Luckily the puppet did not explode into large chunks and just disappeared. An investigation into the origins of this puppetry will need to be executed immediately, not many have this kind of skill..." He seemed to think for a moment before turning his attention back to his female student. "You and Lee?"

"We're both fine. But..." Her dark eyes drifted to Neji. He was on his back with his eyelids scrunched together, his face lighting up with fever.

"I'm afraid he was too close when the explosion occurred. With his Byakugan activated, the flash was just too much for him to take in at once. Hopefully it didn't damage his eyesight permanently..." Gai's expression was hard for Tenten to read as he scooped Neji up and settled him on his back. "Can you handle carrying Lee back, young Tenten?"

"Of course," she responded, hopping into the tree to fetch Lee and her scroll.

"Then we need to get these two back for treatment, quickly."

"Alright..."

_- end flash back

* * *

_

Tenten had her head resting against her palms, large brown eyes closed. Suddenly she opened her eyes, looking alert. Neji's sheets had moved beneath her elbows.

"N... Neji?" she whispered, hoping he wasn't awake just yet. _I still don't know how I'll tell him..._

"Tenten." His voice came out softly, causing Tenten's heart to skip a beat. "Why are my eyes covered with bandages?"

_Right to the point, as usual._ The small mannerism caused her to grin, despite the sinking feeling in her stomach.

"I... errr..."

"Tenten, please get to the point," he said steadily, and she could hear the underlying pleading tone.

She felt the prick of a tear in the corner of her eye. _This is breaking my heart..._

"Neji... do you remember the mission? The large ninja that Gai was fighting?"

"Yes."

She gulped. "Well, it was really a puppet implanted with a bomb. The explosion... there was a huge flash. Neji, the Hokage says that you might be permanently blind."


	2. Reactions

Second chapter. Neji freaks out, the Hyuuga family makes an appearance, Sakura does doctor things. Please review.

* * *

**Reactions**

Neji appeared calm on the outside, but Tenten could sense his growing anger.

"But, Neji! There's mor-"

"No!" he exclaimed and sat straight up. "Blind?"

Tenten grabbed his wrist as he tried to get out of bed, tears pouring from her weary eyes. "Please Neji, sit! You're still hurt! Listen to me, ther-"

"Get off!" He flung his wrist back and sent Tenten tumbling into the side table with enough force to break off one of the legs. He stopped as he heard the crash. "Tenten?"

"Neji, please calm down," she whispered as she picked herself up, trying to keep the quiver in her voice under control.

"Are you okay Tenten? What happened?" he asked. Tenten suppressed a sob when she heard the sadness in his voice.

"It's okay, I tripped over the side table..." She stood next to him and helped him sit up on a pillow. "Please, Neji. Just listen to me."

The frown on his face didn't subside as he leaned back. "Tenten... I'm sorry."

_Why does he have to go and act sweet for once?_ she thought as she sniffed slightly. "It's okay. Really." She sat on the bed next to him, her legs crossed carefully. "The medic nins can explain better, but I know the basics of what happened." Tenten summoned up her mission voice and tried to calm herself. "When the puppet blew up, it let off a large flash. With your proximity to the explosion, the flash caused damage to your eyes. Specifically, the part that controls the Byakugan." Neji's frown deepened and Tenten gulped. "They say that the blindness can be fixed with an operation, but there's a downside."

Neji's face still held it's solemn frown. "What is it?"

"If you take the operation, the Byakugan will become permanently inert."

Tenten saw the Hyuuga genius pale, and felt another stab to her heart. "But..."

"There's also a different option," she interjected quickly. "You can choose not to have the operation and hope that your eye sight will come back on it's own. There's a very small chance of that happening, and the medic's have no idea when it would come back if it healed. But you would probably have full useage of the Byakugan."

Neji was silent. He looked completely still except for his hands, which were twisting themselves into the bed sheet. "How long?"

"You have three weeks to decide. After that, not even the operation will help and it's up to chance." She reached forward and untangled his hands from the cloth and held them within her smaller ones. "If you want, I'll help you however I can." _Yeah right... Neji never accepts assistance with anything..._

"I'd..." Tenten was shocked when he gripped her hands back. "I'd like that, Tenten."

The way he said her name made her forget to breathe for a moment. His hands were shaking. On an instinct she pulled him into her arms, resting his head in the crook of her neck. At first he stiffened, but then relax and allowed her to run her fingers through his hair, resting in her embrace.

* * *

An hour later Tenten found herself at Neji's side, cutting an apple for him. _He's taking it better than I thought. Maybe he realizes that being angry won't help the situation... or maybe it's just the massive amount of medication he's on._ Despite herself, she smiled. _Hopefully it's the former._ She glanced at where he was propped up in the hospital bed, running his fingers carefully over one of her kunai. _He's changed so much in the past year..._

She thought back to his fight with Hinata in the first chuunin exams. _He didn't even care that he nearly killed her. But now if something were to happen to her, he would be furious. They're more like siblings now than cousins. _She glanced at the bouquet of daisies that the shy girl had dropped off yesterday a couple hours after Neji was submitted to the hospital and smiled.

"Neji, do you want this apple now?" she asked.

His head turned toward her right shoulder, and she frowned. "Yes."

He took the pieces from her one at a time and chewed slowly. _Hopefully he'll be out of here soon... I'm starting to get claustrophobic._

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. Neji stopped chewing and Tenten could practically see him straining to hear who it was. She set the remainder of the apple on a napkin and went to the door.

"Yes?" she asked as she opened the door.

"Neji is in here, correct?" Hiashi Hyuuga asked as he glanced down at Tenten.

"Yeah... Please come in," she said as she stepped out of the way.

Ever since she had went to the Hyuuga compound during her first year on her genin team, Tenten had been slightly afraid of Hiashi. To her, the leader of the Hyuuga clan symbolized everything that held Neji down. The Hyuuga compound was like a cage, keeping her teammate bound to his supposed fate. Even before she met Neji and learned about his childhood, Tenten had hated the word 'fate'. She defined 'fate' as circumstances beyond one's control. Over time she had come to the conclusion that what you did with fate was what really mattered, but the Hyuuga just didn't seem to understand her idea.

Hiashi practically glided into the room, his youngest daughter Hanabi on his heals. Tenten saw Hinata standing outside of the room and motioned her inside. She smiled gratefully and came to stand beside Tenten.

"Hiashi-sama," Neji said with a slight bow from his seated position.

"Neji, I have been informed of you situation."

Tenten stiffened up. _How will this affect Neji with his family? I didn't even think about that aspect..._ But she calmed down when Hinata took her hand and gave her a small, reassuring smile.

"I'm sorry, Hiashi-sama. I've disgraced the Hyuuga name." Neji's face was pale. Tenten could practically feel his shame.

"No. You were in a mission situation. For what your sensei," Hiashi said the word with unease. Tenten could just imagine her sensei telling Hiashi about the mission. She grinned at the mental image of Gai giving the proud Hyuuga patriarch one of his favorite poses, "has told me, you performed your mission well. That is all I could possibly ask of you."

"But what abou-"

"The decision is yours and yours alone. I'll support you with whatever you decide. You'll be considered an adult next year; I'll allow you to make your own decision." Hiashi started to walk toward the door. "But Neji. Fate has dealt you a bad hand once again. Don't be hasty when selecting which cards you'll play." With that the Hyuuga exited the room, Hanabi glancing back at Neji with a bit of pity before following her father. Hinata remained.

"Neji-niisan?" she mumbled as she left Tenten's side.

"Yes, Hinata-sama?"

_He's good at recognizing voices,_ Tenten thought as Hinata approached his bedside.

"I'm sorry about what happened," she said as she rubbed her hands together.

"So am I," he responded.

"If you need anything... Just call. I'll do what I can, Neji-niisan."

"Hinata-sama, you've done enough already, but I'll keep that in mind. Thank you." Neji let himself relax and he gave Hinata a small smile. "You should go before Hiashi realizes you've lingered."

"Yes. I'll see you both later. Goodnight, Neji-niisan." She scampered to the door and bowed slightly to Tenten. "Good night, Tenten-chan," she mumbled as she exited the room, leaving Neji and Tenten alone once again.

"Neji?" Tenten asked after a moment of silence.

"Hinata-sama convinced Hiashi-sama to not be angry. She's grown so much this year." Neji had a proud smile splayed across his face. Tenten smiled back, even though she knew he wouldn't be able to tell.

* * *

She stayed the night at the hospital with Neji, despite his protests. "Go home," he told her. "Your family will be worried."

Tenten only smiled grimly and assured him they wouldn't notice.

It was late into the night and Neji was asleep. Tenten sat on the open window ledge and gazed up into the night sky, the crescent moon winking at her playfully. "It's so unfair," she told the sky softly. "Neji's has to deal with so much. Why does life keep giving him the short end of the stick? He's so proud of his Byakugan... Why does everything he loves have to be taken from him?"

The sky remained quite, the twinkling stars giving her no response.

She sighed. "I suppose all I can do is try and help him. He's being released tomorrow; he'll need constant assistance for awhile. Maybe I can even help him train his other senses. It's the perfect opportunity with his eyesight cut off, plus it'll keep him busy... I'll ask him about it tomorrow."

"There's no need." Neji's voice startled her so badly she nearly fell out the window. He was oblivious.

"But, seriously Neji, it would be a good learning experience," she began as she hauled herself back into the room. "And-"

"Tenten." She stopped in mid sentence.

_I hate how he has that effect on me._

"I'd like to train."

She smiled. "Okay. We'll train as soon as the doctor says you can."

He nodded in her direction and turned to face the opposite wall. "Get some rest," he told her as his fell back into a light sleep.

Tenten just grinned and sat down on the cot next to his bed. "Yeah, okay."

She gazed at him or a moment, feeling her heart lighten a bit. _Anything you say, Neji.

* * *

_

The next morning, Sakura came knocking on Neji's door. In the years since Sasuke left Konoha, Tenten had gotten to know the pink-haired kunoichi better. Sakura was currently training under the Godaime herself, learning the art of medical jutsu. Even though Tenten was envious of the girl for being so close to her idol, she had accepted it and moved on to become good friends with her. As Sakura had told her, "We kunoichi need to stick together!"

So when she showed up in the hospital room, Tenten gave her a hug in greeting. "How are you this morning, Sakura-chan?"

"Just fine, Tenten-chan, thanks!" she responded. "I'm doing my rounds." She turned to the Hyuuga, taking the clipboard from the end of his bed. "How are you feeling this morning? Is that fever gone?" she asked him.

"Yes. I'm fine," he responded. Tenten knew that Neji had come to respect Sakura after the rescue mission when she helped nurse him back to health. "When can I leave?"

"Actually, I'm here to clear you. I just need to take the bandages off your eyes and make sure everything is okay under there, and you can go." She started unwrapping the white gauze slowly, being very careful. "So... have you thought of your options?"

"Yes. I'm still not sure."

"If you opt for the surgery, Tsunade-sama and I will handle it ourselves. You would be in good hands, I guarentee."

Neji seemed hesitant at her words. "If I don't have the surgery... Honestly, what are my chances at having my eyesight back? Coming for a medical standpoint?"

Tenten gulped as Sakura's knuckles turned white. "Not good. It's highly unlikely that the damage you suffered will repair itself, but it's possible. Since the damage was to the arteries controlling the Byakugan, we can't be completely sure how the natural healing systems of the body will react." Sakura was unwrapping the last of the bandages. Tenten could see the Branch House seal now. "We haven't studied enough on doujutsu users, in my opinion."

The waver in the young medic's voice was not unnoticed. _She must still be thinking about another doujutsu user..._ Tenten thought with a scowl. _Damn that Sasuke, breaking her heart like that._

But all thoughts of the Uchiha heir left her mind as the last bandages fell from Neji's face. He slowly opened his eyes. They looked the same - like large lilac pearls. But the expression on Neji's face made it painfully obvious that his eyes granted him no vision of his surroundings.

"This... is odd," Neji said after a pause.

"If you want, I can get you glasses to hide your eyes," Sakura said soothingly as she pulled out a small flashlight. She shined it in his eyes, but he didn't blink. Tenten flinched.

"No. It's fine. I'd rather have nothing on my face." He carefully put his feet over the side of the bed and dropped to the ground.

Sakura just pursed her lips with worry. "I'm going to go get your release papers." As she went to the door, she grabbed Tenten and dragged her into the hallway. "Keep an eye on him. I know he'll want to be independent, but you need to put your foot down and force him to accept help. I've already had a talk with Hinata, but he needs you more than he needs her. I'm going to talk with Lee about how he should act, too." Sakura glanced into the room where Neji was touching the objects on the new side table. "Here." She shoved a pamphlet into Tenten's hands. The cover read 'So, your friend is blind?'.

"Nice title," Tenten said with a grimace.

"Yeah, I know," Sakura agreed, "but it will help you know how to help him adjust to being blind." She paused for a moment as another medic passed. "About his options... The surgery would be best. Even though he wouldn't have the Byakugan, he could still see."

"I still don't know which way he'll go with this," Tenten replied. "I'm not going to pressure him about it."

"That's probably for the best. Anyway, I need to go now." Sakura walked to a nurse's station and grabbed his release form, scribbling her signature quickly near the bottom. "Give this to the receptionist on your way out. Good luck, Tenten-chan."

"Thanks." Sakura strode off down the hall and Tenten looked back down to the paper in her hands. _This could be very helpful... Step 1: Asses the subject's awareness of his or her other senses._

"Tenten," Neji said from the hospital room.

"Oh!" she exclaimed as she hurried back into the room. "Sorry about that Neji, I was getting the release form from Sakura-chan." She stopped in front of him and grabbed his shoulders so he was facing toward her. She glance down at his hospital attire. "Do you think you can change by yourself if I direct you to the bathroom? I would help, but I think it would be uncomfortable for the both of us."

"I'll be fine," he said as Tenten handed him the change of clothes that Hinata had brought by earlier and directed him into an adjoining bathroom.

She stood outside the door, listening to make sure he didn't fall. Her eyes skimmed the pamphlet in her hands. _So I'll start with how well he can recognize things without sight. I need to stay calm. He's going to be resistant. He always has been. I just have to keep trying no matter what, for his sake._

The door opened and Neji emerged fully dressed in his typical baggy clothing. "Tenten."

"Hmm?" she said.

"We're leaving."

Tenten tucked her pamphlet away in her pack and grabbed his hand. "Yeah."

And together they walked out of the hospital, the Hyuuga genius allowing himself to rely on his teammate to guide him through the darkness.


	3. Home

Third chapter. Neji bumbles around, Gai and Lee reappear, living arrangements are made. Please review.

* * *

**Home**

As the pair emerged from the hospital, Tenten released Neji's hand and stretched her arms into the air. "Ah! The fresh air is nice, huh?"

"Yes, actually." His unseeing eyes were focused on her and she blushed on pure instinct.

_What am I doing? It's not like he's actually looking at me. _She started leading him by the crook of his arm through the market toward the Hyuuga compound.

"Here's your first lesson. Start paying attention to the sounds and smells around you. Try to identify them and I'll tell you if you're right," Tenten told him as she steered him around civilians.

He looked like he was going to object, but he closed his eyes. "The heat from the sun is strong. It's around noon."

"It's 12:50. Good."

She watched Neji scrunch his nose slightly. "I smell food... Ramen. We're near the ramen stand."

"Yep!" _Man, he's catching on quick! He might be ready for fighting tomorrow! I'll have to do some research on sense training tonight at home._ As they passed by Ichiraiku, the smell assaulted her and made her remember she didn't have breakfast that morning. To reinforce her thoughts, her stomach gave a loud growl.

Neji smirked. "My ears are telling me that you're hungry."

A blush crossed her cheeks as she chuckled. "Perhaps." She grinned. "I'll get something later."

They continued though the crowded street with Neji pointing out different sounds and smells they encountered. When he realized they were passing though the forest outside the north gate, he knew where she was taking him.

"Our training spot," he said, looking slightly pleased.

She remained quiet, a soft smile alight on her face. When they arrived, she sat him down against a tree trunk.

"Now I want to work on your sense of touch. It will be important when communicating with the world around you without your sight." She took his hand and ran it along the tree. "By touching the trees, you can find north and choose your direction from there." She made his fingers hit the moss growing on the north side of the tree.

"I had never thought of it before." He cocked his head to the side slightly in a very unusual manner.

For the hundredth time that day, Tenten found it hard to breathe. _Why is this happening now? Why am I noticing all the slightest things about him? Like his thin eyebrows, his smooth jaw line, the hair that any girl in Konoha would die for, the slight chill of his skin beneath my hand... I need to focus! Neji needs me now! _Her hand shot away from his, leaving him touching the tree. He raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment.

She took a deep breath and continued. "There's lots of way to compensate for eyesight. We'll have to get you a walking stick so yo-"

"I will not use a walking stick." Neji crossed his arms and closed his eyes.

She sighed. "Neji, during this transition you'll need to set your pride aside and accept my help. I know it's hard, but you have to trust me. The more cooperative you are, the sooner you'll become accustom to getting around on your own."

He was silent. _He won't break easily; this will take time._

"I will not be using this stick in public."

Another sigh escaped her lips. _Baby steps... Tenten, remember, just accept the baby steps..._

"Fine. We'll train with it indoors and at night to help you get adjusted to walking without my help," she said as she took his hand once again. "Neji, you know all these things already. You just have to learn to apply them to the situation."

He looked at the space above her left shoulder. _I'll have to get used to that._

"It's not as simple as that."

She blinked at him, confusion within her eyes she knew he couldn't see. "Then make it as simple as that. Stop over-thinking everything Neji. Just let things come at their own pace." Tenten brought his hand in between them, setting her palm against his.

"Fate has deemed me three weeks." His eyebrows creased. "I don't have the time to wait around."

She just sighed. "Well, you'll need to bear with me. I'm not going to rush."

The corners of his mouth twitched. "I wouldn't expect you to."

Tenten looked at their hands. Neji's fingers were at least an inch longer than hers and his skin was cold against her warm palm. Even though she and Neji's hands were so different, one thing was the same - both were rough from battle.

"This change... It's difficult because I relied too much on my eyesight."

"Maybe." Her fingers slid between his, gripping his hand tightly. "Just remember... You're not alone. I'll be here for you. I promise."

He seemed deep in thought, and Tenten's mind started to panic. _Have I gone too far? I thought that using his sense of touch would be the best way to assure him, but perhaps I was wrong... _

Instead of pulling his hand away, he allowed his fingers to slowly drop and intertwine with her own properly. She smiled and lightly blushed, enjoying the way his hand felt against hers.

Suddenly he tensed and pulled Tenten to his side. "N-Neji?"

"I hear something approaching."

Suddenly a large mass of green assaulted Tenten's eyes. Gai and Lee hopped out of the bushes, bright grins alight on their faces.

"Ah! I see the power of youth hasn't been wasted upon the two of you!" Gai exclaimed, giving her a thumbs up.

Realizing the compromising position they were in, Tenten quickly released Neji's hand and scooted away. He seemed slightly aggravated. She wondered if it was because of Lee and Gai showing up or because of her sudden movement.

"Did you guys need something?" she questioned as she stood up and brushed invisible dust off her pants.

"Why, yes! Yes we did!" Gai announced. Tenten saw Neji wince out of the corner of her eye. _Gai's probably hurting his ears. His hearing is already becoming stronger._

"Sakura-san has just spoken to me, and what a wonderful conversation it was!" Lee began to spin on the spot. He reminded Tenten of a ballerina. "She has told me that I should practice taijustu with you more often, Neji! Oh, we shall have a grand time!"

"Hn," he responded.

_Even though he would never admit it, he likes sparing with Lee. _Tenten smiled at the strange rivalry between her male teammates.

"Also, I am to inform you that you will be staying with Lee for the coming three weeks!" Gai said with a glint from his teeth.

Even though she had known Neji for nearly four years, she had never felt his aura more deadly.

"I'm WHAT?" He shot up immediately, glaring at a tree near where Gai was standing.

"Oh Neji! We shall have a wonderful time! It will be like a long slumber party!" Lee grabbed Neji around the shoulders of emphasis. "My mother shall bake us cookies and we can have pillow fights and stay up late talking about our feelings-"

"Absolutely not." Neji shrugged out of Lee's embrace and Tenten found it hard to contain her laughter. "I refuse to stay with Lee. Besides, I'm not going anywhere."

"Doctor's orders! Hokage-sama believes it will be more beneficial to your health to stay with someone who can pay extra attention to you. Hiashi-sama agrees that the Hyuuga compound would be a difficult place for you to recover properly, so dear Lee stepped in and offered you his home! Isn't it wonderful?!" Tears were running freely down Gai's face. "Ah, the bond of my youthful team makes my heart soar!"

"Oh Gai-sensei!" Lee was crying as well, pointing to the sky. "Anything for one of my dearest comrades!"

"I refuse."

Tenten sighed. _Did they really think that he would just agree to move in with Lee? They're more insane than I thought. _

"I'd rather deal with my family than him."

"Oh, but Neji!" Lee grabbed his hand, which Neji promptly took back. "We would have so much fun!"

"No." The Hyuuga crossed his arms resolutely.

"Well, you could always-"

"He can stay with me!" Tenten exclaimed as she interrupted Gai. _Neji would go insane just thinking of staying with Gai-sensei._

"Ah! Would it be proper for Neji to stay with you though Tenten? Would your parents not object to a member of the opposite gender staying with you?" Lee said.

"No, they wouldn't mind. They're out of town anyway," she answered quickly. Too quickly.

For once, Gai's expression was serious. He looked at Tenten, making her nervous. _Please don't say anything, Sensei..._

Fortunately for her, he just frowned with a disappointed look. "Lee. Guide Neji to the Hyuuga manner so he may collect his things. Tenten and I shall meet you there in a moment."

Lee saluted and grabbed Neji's arm. "Yes, Gai-sensei! We shall perform this task quickly!"

Tenten heard Neji grumbling until he and Lee were out of their sight.

Both teacher and student were silent for a moment. Gai sighed and turned to her.

"Why didn't you tell them?" he asked.

She looked to her feet and watched her toes wiggle in her sandals. "It really doesn't matter, does it?"

"He will discover the truth. Neji's too bright to not realize that you're deceiving him."

She looked up with an angry glare. "I'm not deceiving him!" Her hands clutched at her side, and she returned her gaze to the grass. "I'm just not telling the entire truth."

Gai placed a hand on her shoulder. "I do not wish to see you hurt once again."

She smiled. "Thanks Sensei, but I'll be fine."

He gave her one of his brightest smiles. "I'm counting on you, Tenten. Help heal our Neji."

* * *

Ten minutes later she and Gai stood in front of the Hyuuga estate. Lee ran out to greet them. "Ah! Tenten, so glad you are here!"

"He threw you out, didn't he?" She already knew the answer once a blush lit up his cheeks.

"Neji just does not understand the fire of youth!"

"Um... Tenten-chan?" For the first time, she noticed that Hinata was standing at the gate behind Lee.

"Hello Hinata-chan!" she greeted warmly while walking around both Gai and Lee, who were busy lamenting Neji's lack of youthfulness. "How are things?"

"Okay, I suppose." She motioned for Tenten to come inside the estate.

The weapons specialist had always found the Hyuuga manor to be quite imposing. The large court yard made her feel small and insignificant next to the grand building that housed generations of Hyuuga. As she and Hinata passed the main dining area, dozens of stark eyes starred in their direction. It made her incredibly nervous.

The kunoichi made their way though the building and entered a smaller one behind it. Tenten assumed this was the branch family home. Making their way along the outdoor walkway, Tenten glanced at the large bird habitat in the yard. Six or seven birds of assorted colors and sized flew around the cage, on a never ending search for the exit. She felt sorry for the birds and wanted to release them into the open air, but knew she had no right.

"Tenten-chan?" Hinata mumbled as she stopped. "We're here."

She slid open the sliding paper door to reveal a small room with minimal furnishings. A bed roll sat near one wall next to a small dresser. The other wall held a desk, piled neatly with rolls of parchment. Neji sat with his back to them, his single suitcase to his right.

"Neji-niisan?" Hinata said as she broke the silence. "Tenten-chan is here."

He stood and turned in her direction. She felt incredible sadness as he reached for his side, waving his hand in the dusty air as he tried to find the handle of his suitcase. He picked it up and stepped cautiously toward them. Tenten understood the silent request and went forward, lightly settling her hand on the crook of his elbow. She led him to the door, her other arm sliding it closed as Hinata led the way back thought the compound.

Tenten saw Neji reflexively turn his head toward the birds. She wanted to sigh, but couldn't find it in her heart to let him know how much she pitied him.

As they passed by the dining room once more, the clan member's expressions changed from mild interest to anger. She wanted to go poke all their eyes out and make sure they never glared at Neji like that again. _Maybe this is was the Hokage and Gai-sensei meant by 'a difficult place to recover'._

They found Hiashi waiting for them at the gate. "Neji. I hope that fate is kind to you within the coming weeks."

He just bowed his head in recognition and nudged Tenten along. Once they emerged from the compound's gate, she released her breath. She felt as though she understood his attitude a bit better after just moments in his home. She couldn't imagine living as a small child in that kind of environment.

"Neji-niisan, if you need me..." Hinata stammered as she poked her fingers together in her normal nervous habit.

Neji just looked in her direction and gave her one of his rare smiles. She muttered a goodbye and retreated into the estate.

"Tenten."

She was surprised how well she could interpret his strange commands. "Okay. We're leaving."

The sun was setting at their backs as they walked half-way across the village to her home. She was slightly nervous, but knew that the guest room would work fine for him, with it's large desk and open space. Her breathing became more shallow as they approached her house.

_What if something goes wrong and he changes his mind? What if he leaves, or finds something wrong? Since when have I cared so much about what he thought of me?_

She opened the small fence gate to her home, causing the old hinges to creak. They walked up the path. Tenten's breathing was ragged as she fumbled around on the top ledge of the door for the key. "If you ever need it," she said as she brought his hand up to where her own was resting, "the key is above the door."

"Hn," he grunted in response.

Slowly she unlocked the door and guided him in, sliding the key back into it's place on her way.

"Well, welcome home, Neji."


	4. Settling

Fourth chapter. Neji finds a surprise in his bed, partial nakedness occurs, an umbrella is abused. Please review.

* * *

**Settling**

Tenten gave Neji a brief tour while trying to hide her nervousness. She guided him through the plain living room and into the small kitchen. "Have anything you like," she told him as she put his hand on the refrigerator. "Consider this your own home. But... It's probably not a good idea for you to use the stove just yet."

He gave her a small smirk and continued to follow. She showed him the bathroom and how to work the shower. "The room across from this one is my room."

"Hn," he replied.

Finally she showed him the guest room. "And here's your room! It's fairly big, bigger than my room actually. There's a desk here filled with ink and scrolls, if you want to try writing. Also, there's a full size bed in here with a quilt. Your clothes can go in the dresser. Just tell me if you need anything else." During her explanation, she guided him to each part of the room and let him touch whatever she was talking about. She figured it was the best way for him to get adjusted.

"Tenten..." he began, sounding unsure of himself.

_Neji... Unsure? I must be dreaming!_ She smiled as she understood his meaning. "It's okay Neji. No problem. You just owe me now!" she teased, helping him set his suitcase on his new bed. "Besides, it will probably be nice to have some company once in a while."

"I'm guessing your parents aren't good company," he commented innocently, but Tenten knew better. He was suspicious of something.

"They're hardly ever home, and when they are... they're pretty quite," she told him, hardly believing how well she could lie to him.

"Hn."

_That's his answer to everything... That or something about 'fate'..._ She just shook her head. "I'm going to fix something to eat. Do you want me to help you unpack first?"

"No. I can handle it." He stepped carefully toward his bed and unzipped his pack.

"Okay. If you need anything, just call," she said as she went to the door.

"Sure."

Tenten made her way to the kitchen, thinking things had gone fairly well so far. _I always fix too much food anyway. It will be nice to have someone to eat the rest of it for me._ She allowed her mind to wander as she made their dinner.

Suddenly she heard a crash from the back part of the house. "Neji?" she called, jogging to his room. He had apparently been trying to tuck his suitcase away in a corner and had knocked over the desk chair in the process.

"Tenten, forgive me." He carefully picked the chair back up and steadied it before letting it stand on it's own.

"It's perfectly all right," she said as she approached him. "Are you alright?"

"Yes."

His tone told her otherwise. _He hates clumsiness. This must be killing him on the inside._

"Are you hungry? I fixed something I guarantee you've never had before."

His eyebrows raised with interest. With a smile took his elbow and carefully led him to the small dining table. She silently directed him into a chair and went to grab the bowl.

Out of the corner of his eye she saw him casually sniff the air. A grin broke across her face. "What do you think, Neji? Smell good?"

"Yes, actually. I'm surprised you can cook," he replied, waiting patiently.

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked as she sat down the food.

"You're more of the tomboy type. I just figured you didn't cook."

She crossed her arms and gave him a pointless glare. "I've been cooking for myself for years now, thank you very much!"

Neji just frowned and Tenten realized her mistake. _I need to watch what I say... I'll show Gai-sensei! Neji doesn't need to know!_

"Anyway, my mother taught me how to make his dish when I was little! It's called Beef Chow Fun, and it's from my homeland. The recipe had been passed down through my family for generations," Tenten rambled as she spooned some of the stir-fry on his plate.

"Homeland?" he asked as he awkwardly picked up his chop sticks.

"Oh, I guess you didn't know. I'm originally from the Earth Country," she said without thinking.

His eyes widened in shock, and Tenten knew she had messed up once again. "The Fire Country and Earth Country have been enemies for generations."

She started to become incredibly uncomfortable. _He's making me say things I don't want to say, damn it!_

"Yes, I know that. My family came here in hopes of a better life after a devastating battle in our village," she replied as she pushed a piece of baby corn around on her plate. Tenten cursed herself when she felt her voice tremble.

"Tenten," Neji said. She noticed that he had stopped messing with his chop sticks and has his eyes pointed in her direction.

"Look, I would rather not talk about this now." She stood and retrieved two bottles of water from her refrigerator, setting one down loudly in front of Neji and taking one for herself. "Let's just eat."

Neji looked like he was about to protest, but instead started eating.

_If things are going to be like this all the time_, Tenten thought as she mindlessly ate, _then this is going to be a long three weeks.

* * *

_

By the time they had finished eating, the stars were blinking brightly in the sky. Tenten sighed as she heard Neji fumbling around in her bathroom and spread herself out along the large couch in her living room. _Neji's not fooling me. He isn't interested in my past. The idiot is just intentionally messing with me. Yeah, that's it. _

She rolled over, nearly falling off the fluffy cushions. _But... Is he really doing anything? Wasn't I the one who just started spewing out information?_

"Tenten, I need another pillow," Neji said quietly from the hall way.

She immediately covered her chest, embarrassed at the skimpy tank top and shorts she wore as pajamas. Instantly she felt like a fool. _What am I doing? He can't see how I'm dressed!_

"Tenten, you're in here. I can hear you moving around."

"Oh! Sorry about that, Neji!" she said as she brushed by him carefully. After retrieving another pillow from her hall closet, she walked him to his room.

"Thank you," he whispered as Tenten handed it to him.

Her cheeks lit up at his tone. "Yeah... Like I said earlier, it's not a problem."

Slowly his hand reached up and found her cheek with careful fingers and slightly brushed her bangs back. Tenten was furiously hoping he couldn't feel the increasing heat of her skin. "Good night, Tenten."

"G... Good night, Neji," she mumbled as he slowly shut his door. She backed across the hall and sunk down to the hard wood floor, pressing her hands against her heart in hopes to stop it from beating so quickly.

_Just a simple touch, and I melt like a snow ball in a camp fire!_

Her thoughts were broken when a very unmanly squeak came from Neji's room. She immediately got up and charged inside. "Neji? What's wrong?"

If she wasn't worried and still burning from Neji's touch, the kunoichi would have died from laughter right there in the guest room.

The proud Hyuuga genius was curled up in a little ball near the foot of the bed, hugging the pillow she had just handed him moments ago with a death grip. Near his other pillow was a brown and black mass of fur, looking at the trembling young man with a bored expression.

"Ah, I see you've met my pet cat, Sachi," she said with a grin as she scooped up the large feline and sat him near Neji. "Are you afraid of cats, or something?"

He glared at the bed and a scowl crossed his pale face. "Absolutely not! The thing attacked my head!"

She rubbed Sachi's ears and he purred in response. "Aw, come on! He just wanted to get to know you!"

Neji just crossed his arms. "A pet. You neglected to tell me you had a pet."

"Sachi just wanders in and out as he pleases. I feed him and stuff, but he's not here all the time. Sorry, he must have slipped my mind." She started walking toward the door, the fluff ball still bundled in her arms. "I'll take him away if you like."

"I really couldn't care less," he said stubbornly.

_In other words, he wants Sachi in the room._

"Well, he does normally sleep in here," she told Neji as she sat the large cat in front of him.

His hand went toward the cat, and Tenten guided it so he wouldn't poke the animal in it's sleepy green eyes. Neji petted Sachi softly, causing the cat's purrs to become louder.

"Ah, it looks like he likes you quite a bit!" Tenten commented as she scooted toward the door. "Well, good night you two!"

She was answered with a "Hn," and a meow. The girl couldn't help but grin as she walked into her room and released her chocolate colored hair from it's normal buns, allowing the silky tresses to fall down her back gracefully. _I think both Sachi and I will be okay with this arrangement for a while.

* * *

_

The next morning, Tenten rose at sunrise. "Today I'll start training Neji," she told herself as she scurried across the hall to the bathroom. She turned on the cold water and hopped in the shower, shivering slightly when goose bumps appeared up her arms and legs. "At noon we have to meet Lee for some taijutsu practice. I think I'll go shopping while they train."

After quickly washing her hair with her favorite lavender shampoo, she got out and wrapped a fluffy blue towel around her body and quickly dried her hair. Within minutes she had her normal buns in place and exited the bathroom, only to run into something in the hallway.

"Neji?" she squeaked, backing into the bathroom door.

"Tenten. I smelled something nice, so I followed it... Were you doing something?"

_He doesn't realize I'm half naked! Thank the heavens! _Her grip tightened on her towel as she responded. "Nope! Just roaming around! Why don't you go wait in the living room while I make breakfast? I'll be there in a minute!"

His eyebrow raised, but he didn't question her further. "Sure." As he made his way down the hall, Tenten bolted into her room. She sighed and fell on top of her bed, cheeks flaming red.

Tenten didn't consider her room beautiful. The only 'girly' things she had were stuffed animals and a couple traditional kimonos for festivals. Other than that, the room was quite plain, decorated with charts and weapons scattered around randomly. Her bed was covered with a large lilac colored quilt. The quilt itself was large and had little shuriken shaped felt pieces sewn randomly along the warm fabric. Tenten adored it and sometimes found sleep hard to come by on missions without the small comfort it offered her.

_Heh. I could probably walk around naked and Neji wouldn't even notice! _She contemplated that for another three seconds before blushing and quickly dressing herself.

When she entered the living room, she found Neji sitting on her large sofa, Sachi curled up lightly in his lap.

"I see you've become quick friends," she said with a smile.

He looked slightly startled, but it passed so quickly that she thought she imagined it. "Hn."

"Whatever. I'm going to fix something quick. Is toast okay?"

"Yes." He starred absently at the honey colored paint on the wall, and Tenten wondered how it felt for him to not see anything. Instead of dwelling on that, she just shook her head and made her way into the kitchen.

* * *

"Okay!" she said as she and Neji stood in her living room an hour later. "Now we'll start with something incredibly useful - Walking!"

He just rolled his eyes as she pushed an umbrella into his hands. He realized what it was after a moment and raised an eyebrow. "You're going to help me walk with an umbrella."

"Yep! I can't find a stick the right length, but this should do fine." She pulled out the pamphlet that Sakura had given her the previous day. _Have your friend tap the ground in front of them while they walk, helping them be more alert to obstacles. _She mentally read the sentence and nodded. "Okay! All you have to do is keep that in front of you while you walk to make sure you don't run into anything."

He blinked and adjusted the umbrella handle. "That's all?"

"Sure! See, it's not difficult!"

"I probably look ridiculous."

She grinned. _Okay, with the umbrella, just slightly. _"Aw, who cares? It's just you and me."

Neji grunted in reply and took a cautious step forward, swinging the umbrella in a semi-circle and smacking Tenten in the kneecap.

"Arg!" she exclaimed as she backed away.

His head rotated around, as if trying to find any danger. She just sighed and told him to keep the umbrella closer to the ground.

He tapped around her house while she watched him carefully, making sure he didn't break anything. _He's oddly cooperative,_ she thought as he made his way into the back yard. _I wonder if he's feeling all right?_

"Neji, that's enough for now," she told him. "Was that at all helpful? Be honest, because I don't want to waste your time."

"Actually, hearing the sound of the umbrella against the surfaces of your home made it much easier to have a mental picture," he told her as they went back inside. "It was a good training exercise," he nodded.

She rolled her eyes. _He's already so independent. He gets up and gets dressed by himself, and tons of other stuff. It's just the fighting I'm mainly concerned about._ "Come on. We need to meet Lee at the training grounds in forty minutes."

Tenten grabbed his elbow, causing the umbrella to clatter to the ground as she hurried him out the door.


	5. Tomorrow

Fifth chapter. Tenten becomes bipolar for a moment, Lee is a bit intuitive, truths are revealed. Please review.

* * *

**Tomorrow**

"Lee!" Tenten called as she and Neji reached their training spot forty minutes later.

"Ah! Tenten! Neji! How is the living arrangement?" the green clad boy asked with a grin.

She stopped and waited. _Actually, I'm slightly curious myself._

"Fine. Tenten's home is quite suitable." Neji was stone faced as he said it, causing Tenten to roll her eyes.

"Well, I'll leave you two to your training," she said as she started walking away.

"Where are you going?" Neji asked quickly.

She raised an eyebrow. _He's probably angry about being stuck with Lee by himself. _"Shopping. But only if you'd like to eat tonight."

"Hn," he replied as he crossed his arms.

"Neji, we shall have a wonderful training session! Sakura-san has spoken with me about a proper training method and I feel confident in my ability to execute it correctly!" He struck such a strange pose that Tenten was momentarily glad Neji couldn't see. "The fire of youth burns with us this afternoon! Let us be successful in our endeavor!"

"You're really leaving?" Neji asked, but Tenten was already sneaking away, hiding her giggles beneath her hand.

* * *

"Okay, so what do I want for dinner? Neji seemed to like what I made last night, so I'm not worried about him," Tenten mumbled incoherently to herself as she slowly walked through the market, grazing the vegetable stands with her dark eyes.

"Hey! Tenten-chan!" a booming voice called. She looked up to see one of her fellow kunoichi, Yamanaka Ino.

"Good afternoon, Ino-chan!" Tenten watched as the confident blond pulled her teammates away from a fruit stand and marched over to her.

"I heard about Neji. That's really too bad," Ino said with a frown.

"Yeah, but he's dealing with the loss really well. Better than I expected him to, at least." She spied a bag of rice on the counter next to her and pulled it into her arms. _Will this be enough for both of us? Might as well get two! _When she grabbed another Ino raised an eyebrow.

"You hungry or something?"

"No. Neji is staying with me an-"

Before she could finish her sentence, Ino had somehow appeared within inches of her face. "Are you serious? This is your chance Tenten-chan! You can finally make a move on him!"

The weapons mistress heard Shikamaru sigh from behind his teammate. "Ino-chan," she replied, "I would never do that. Especially not while he's in this state."

A frown crossed the younger kunoichi's face. "Well, you can't deny you like him. I've seen the way you look at him."

Tenten felt her face become warm as Ino's presence suddenly became suffocating. "Sorry you guys, I need to run!"

As she brushed by Team 10, Shikamaru called out to her. "Hey. Tsunade-sama asked me to tell you that she wants to see Neji in her office early Friday morning for a check up."

"Okay, thanks Shikamaru!" she called over her shoulder. She saw Ino try to follow her, but Shikamaru just grabbed her hand and pulled her in the opposite direction, Chouji giggling into his bag of potato chips.

* * *

_It's not that obvious, is it?_ she thought as she plopped the rice on her kitchen counter next to where a lump of fur was lightly napping. "You can't tell, can you Sachi?"

He just meowed and rolled over.

"Somewhere along the road, I guess I've grown to really like the moron." She sighed and sat some chicken in the window to thaw. "But will he ever have the time of day for a social life? No."

Tenten plopped down on her couch and checked the time. It was 1:49. She had promised that she would be back to get Neji at sundown. "Will he ever see me as more than his teammate who can chuck weapons and cover his blind spot? Probably not. Maybe I'm not special enough for Hyuuga Neji..."

She suddenly felt a surge of anger. "Why do I let the idiot get to me? And why am I blaming myself? It's all his fault!"

Tenten vaulted off the cushions and grabbed a scroll from her room. Sachi lazily watched her as she stomped out of the house, slamming the door behind her.

* * *

_I always do everything I can for him. _A storm of kunai implanted themselves in her target.

_I try my best. But does he see it? Absolutely not! _She was so aggravated, she didn't notice when one of her own fuuma shuriken sliced a tree in half.

_He's... He's so blind! _

She stopped and the grip on her scroll weakened. "So... blind..." Tenten immediately felt bad.

"Maybe I'll go watch Lee and Neji train..."

Leaping into the tall branches of a near by tree, she made her way to their training ground. She arrived to the sounds of battle.

Her eyebrows raised when she saw that Neji had slipped his forehead protector down over his eyes. _What's the point?_ she thought. _He can't see anyway._

But she kept watching. The Hyuuga genius deflected Lee's atttacks with a difficulty that didn't suit him. Every block seemed to be just in time and his face shown with pure, undiluted concentration.

The expression caused her heart to skip a beat.

As his arm came up to block a kick, she watched his face. The next kick came right for his head. For a moment he looked calm, but then his head made a small jerk toward Lee's approaching foot and his arm came up into another block.

_Ah, I understand. He's using his ears to hear where Lee's attacks are coming from and blocking them appropriately! _She grinned as the boys continued. _That was a great idea on Sakura-chan's part. Defensive moves will be much more useful if anything comes up in the next couple weeks. Plus with the forehead protector over his eyes, he won't be tempted to try and look around._

She settled herself on the tree branch, laying her scroll across her lap. _I'm glad he's starting to understand the importance of his other senses more. Even if he somehow does get his eyesight back, he'll be much more prepared. I guess having so much pride in one thing blinds you from everything else... _

After another hour, her teammates decided to take a rest. Neji untied his forehead protector and replaced it on his forehead. His blank eyes turned to where she was sitting. "You should come down from there, Tenten."

She rolled her eyes and hopped down. "So, how are things?"

"Fine. Learning to use my other senses is much easier than you made it sound."

"I guess I forgot to consider the fact that you're a genius into my equation," she replied, walking to where Lee sat with an apple. Neji smirked and followed. "Oh yeah! Shikamaru said that Tsunade-sama wants you in her office early Friday morning for an examination."

"That's tomorrow. Why an examination so soon?" he asked as he settled himself on the ground next to Tenten. She felt the familiar blush cross her cheeks when his knee touched hers, and she wished she could punch the stupid grin off Lee's face.

"Ah Neji! One should never be careless when concerning one's health!" Lee told him, his large eyes still glued to Tenten.

"Perhaps..." Neji seemed unsettled at this news.

"Anyway, would you like to come over for dinner tonight Lee?" Tenten asked as she bit viciously into her apple.

Neji's eyes widened in horror, and she allowed a small smile to cross her face. _I swear, sometimes he's so immature._

"I'm afraid I must decline. My presence is requested by Gai-sensei this evening for a training session!" Lee sprang up and looked to the sky. "Actually, I must cut our snack break short, for I must head toward the southern gate!"

"Why the south gate?" she questioned.

"This is where Gai-sensei requested to meet me! I must be off! I sense the fire of youth burning brightly in our relations this evening, right Tenten?" Lee winked and waved good bye as Tenten furiously glared at the green spandex clad boy's back.

"Thank the heavens he's gone," Neji mumbled as he stood, still holding his uneaten apple.

"What? Was the training session bad?" she asked.

"No. Actually it went rather well. But... I'd rather head back."

Tenten smiled softly at him as he started walking toward the exit of the forest. _Too stubborn to admit that he's tired._

She silently caught up with him and started to reach for his arm. "I can walk on my own, Tenten."

Her smile escalated to a grin as she walked beside the Hyuuga back into Konoha. "Whatever you say, Neji."

* * *

Dinner went by without incident. Once she finished up the dishes, Tenten looked for Neji. She found him in the backyard, laying back on the grass. An outside observer would think he was just watching the clouds roll by, but she knew better.

"Tenten." His voice surprised her.

"Is my chakra that obvious?"

He smiled lightly as she stood next to him. "It wasn't that. I heard the scrape of your slippers on the floor. Plus you use a very distinctive lavender scented shampoo."

A grin crossed her face as she tried to push back the strange feeling in the pit of her stomach. "It amazes me how sharp your sense have become in just two days. In fact, you're amazing, Hyuuga Neji."

She swore she saw a hint of pink on his cheeks, but it was gone before she could blink. Instead, he sat up and got to his feet. "I need you to tell me about something."

"Um... okay," she said as he took her wrist and started walking. As soon as he bypassed the garden and approached the tool shed, she knew where he was going.

She wanted to stop, turn back and tell him it was none of his business. Before she got up the nerve to do so, they were already standing in front of a small shrine, hidden away behind a large tree in the corner of the backyard.

"Who is this shrine for?" he asked, keeping a firm grip on her wrist.

Tenten began to panic. "Umm... my dog?"

He just pinned her with a gaze sharper than knives. She could practically feel it slice right between her eyes.

"Quit lying, Tenten."

Tears started falling from her eyes as soon as the words left his mouth. "I," she choked, "never meant to lie. It was just... too painful."

He moved his grip from her wrist to her hand. She marveled how her hand fit in his nicely. "Sometimes... It's better to talk."

She raised her eyebrows and sniffed. "I would never expect to hear that from you."

"I've learned things within the past couple years," he said with a shrug.

She sighed and walked up to the shrine, making herself comfortable on the grassy lawn. Neji followed suit.

"How did you find this?" she asked.

"I was walking around and bumped into it accidentally."

"Ah."

He sighed. "You're avoiding the question."

She sighed back. "Okay... Well, I wasn't lying to you when I said I was from the Earth country. My father was a great ninja there, above the jounin level. During a large battle about eight years ago, he realized that the Earth's reasons for war were corrupt, and double crossed them and sided with the Leaf. Don't asked about the politics involved. I have no idea, and I honestly don't want to know. Anyway, the Earth didn't take too kindly to my father after that happened. He tried to come back and sneak us out of the country, but he was caught and executed."

Tears kept dripping down her cheeks; every word felt like a weight being lifted off her shoulders. Neji's grip on her hand tightened and she continued.

"Some Konoha nins came a rescued my mother and I before the Earth country could get to us. They gave us this house. I was six and a half at the time. My mother did the best she could, but she had always been a sickly woman. She died last year of illness."

Neji remained quiet. Tenten gazed at her mother's shrine. A picture of the woman sat in the center of the flower arch that grew over the frame, and Tenten couldn't help but wish she were still alive. She remembered how proud her mother was the day she was assigned to her three man genin team. _I still wish you were here... Keep watching over me. I'll make you proud._

Suddenly Neji stood, dragging Tenten with him. "Neji, what are you doing?"

He walked across the lawn and into the house, releasing her hand in the process. She just frowned at his back. _I pour out my heart to him, then he walks away. But what do I expect? He's Neji._

She was shocked when he came back. "Tenten." He had a tissue in his hand.

A warm smile crossed her face. "Thanks." She took it and wiped away her tears.

"Forgive me for asking about it," Neji said.

_He looks... ashamed? _

"It's perfectly alright, Neji," she told him.

He frowned. "That's what you always say."

She kept smiling. "But for you, it's always true."

A blush crossed his face as he hastily changed the subject. _Ha! It's so rewarding to catch him off guard!_

"You said your mother only died last year. I had no idea."

"Well, I didn't really want anyone to know. The only one I told was Gai-sensei, and that was because he kept giving me speeches about how 'sadness depresses the blossom of youth'," she replied, rolling her eyes.

"I... I didn't even notice you were upset," he said, looking slightly disturbed.

"Really, it's okay. I think I hid it well." She patted his arm, but he shrugged her off.

"No, it's not. You're my teammate. I should know these kinds of things. I should be able to tell when you're upset." The proud young man crossed his arms, pearly eyes starring blankly at the ground.

Tenten just blinked. _He cares this much? _"Please stop blaming yourself..."

He glanced up at her in an odd manner. In her memory she couldn't remember him looking at her like this, but she had seen the look plenty of times from Lee. It was a mixture of sadness and confusion.

"Am I really that... blind to everything?"

A sharp pang of deja vu shot up her spine. _What do I say to him? I can't tell him he's right... even though he is. Like usual._

"Your silence says it all." He looked dejected as he went inside the house.

She sighed and fell back onto the plush grass. "Oh Neji... Why did you have to start having a heart now?"

* * *

The next morning passed with no words exchanged. The pair had a small breakfast and headed out to the Hokage tower for Neji's meeting with Tsunade.

Tenten waited in the hall while the Hokage performed her examination. _What could I have told him? That he just kind of exudes the 'I don't give a darn about your life' attitude? But apparently he does care. Even though it's not my fault, I feel responsible. It seems like all men are emotional dummies and they have to rely on women to sort out their feelings. Even the untouchable Neji Hyuuga._

The door next to Tenten's seat opened and revealed her idol, Tsunade. "You should come in here," she said in a tired tone as she motioned the kunoichi into the office. She found Neji sitting on the floor, fiddling with the straps on his shirt. Complicated medical seals painted on the ground around him were fading slowly. "I was looking over his papers yesterday and decided a check up would be in order. Unfortunately, I have some bad news."

Dark eyes darted toward Neji, who seemed to perk up at the woman's words. "Yes, Hokage-sama?" he asked, trying to keep the edge of panic out of his voice.

Tsunade pursed her lips, tan eyes blinking slowly. "Your eyes are healing quicker than we first expected. If you don't have the surgery soon, there will be no hope for it to work correctly."

Tenten heard him gulp. "How soon?" he asked in a low tone.

The Hokage gave him a pained look, forgetting for a moment that he couldn't see her. "Tomorrow."


	6. Fate

Finale. Tenten dreams, rain washes away the pain, Neji's future is decided. Please review.

* * *

**Fate**

"Tomorrow!" Neji and Tenten both exclaimed.

"Yes." The Hokage looked at the two ninja with troubled tan eyes. "The chakra pathways that direct the Byakugan were damaged during your mission three days ago. It looked as though it would take weeks to heal, so we would have time to fix your actual eye sight and cut out the bloodline arteries."

Neji gulped, and Tenten found herself holding his hand. He didn't pull away.

"Your chakra seems to be speeding up the healing process, and your body is trying to make up for the lack of the bloodline by attempting to fix it prematurely. Unfortunately, it doesn't know how." The curvaceous woman walked toward the door. "You have tonight to decide. Come to me tomorrow at this time to give me your decision. If you want to go through with the surgery, we'll start right away," Tsunade said with a soft tone. "I'm sorry to rush you with this, but it's the only option left at this time."

Neji stood, still holding Tenten's hand. With a slight bow he said, "Thank you Hokage-sama." He quickly pulled Tenten out of the office. She heard the blond woman sigh as she closed the door behind them.

Tenten didn't dare speak as Neji dragged her out of the tower and into the streets. When he started bumping into people, she stopped. He turned toward her and his frown increased. _One would think his face would hurt from frowning so much..._

She placed her hand in the crook of his arm and started leading him back to her house. He seemed to deflate with each step, partially leaning on the kunoichi for support.

When they returned home, she led him to the couch. He sunk into the cushions while she fixed some tea.

"Here," she said as she placed the drink in his hands.

"Hn." He took a sip, then reached for a coaster and set the cup on the coffee table.

Tenten sat next to him, unsure of what to say. _This is a major blow... _

"Tenten." His voice slightly cracked, causing her to flinch.

"Y... Yes?" She internally scolded herself for the unsure sound in her voice. Even though he would never admit it, Neji needed her to be strong for him.

"What's your opinion on the matter?" he asked, trying to sound detached.

Tenten bit her lip lightly. "Well... Does it matter what I think?"

"Yes, it does."

She gulped. "I don't want to sway you either way. You need to make the decision yourself. I... I'm sorry."

He stood and nodded. "I understand. Excuse me." He retreated to his room. She frowned when she heard the click of the lock.

With a sigh she plopped down on the couch, spreading herself out along the fluffy cushions. Sachi meowed from a nearby chair and hopped over to join her.

"What could I have told him?" she whispered as the cat settled himself next to her hip. "I don't want him to make a decision that doesn't suit him... And I honestly don't know what he should do. I just... I just hopes he makes his choice for the right reasons," she said as she thought back to the glaring eyes of the Hyuuga she had seen a couple days earlier.

Suddenly she became incredibly tired. She willed for her eyelids to remain open, but the sound of Sachi's purring combined with the mental stress of the day caused her to go out like a light.

* * *

_"Momma!" a little girl with large doe eyes called from the front door of a large hut. "What are they doing to Daddy? Momma!" Tears streamed down her pale cheeks as she watched a dozen Earth nins surround a single man. _

_He was tall, thin chocolate hair held in a small ponytail at the top of his head. His light green eyes turned to the little girl. "I love you, Kuri-chan! Take care of Momma!" he said as his words were muffled by a gag. _

_"Inoue Daiki, you are charged with treason! The council had found you guilty, declaring immediate execution!" one of the larger men yelled. The crowd that had gather cheered._

_A cold hand rested on the little girl's shoulder. She looked into her mother's deep brown eyes, cringing at the tears that poured from them. "Momma, why are they doing this? Why are they mad at daddy?"_

_The woman closed her eyes as a flash of metal shot through the air. "Please, Kuri-chan, go inside," the woman said as she tried to push the girl inside. "You shouldn't see this..."_

_"No! I wanna save Daddy!" she yelled as she stormed out of the house. _

_Her heart cracked in half as she watched the men draw a kunai across her father's throat._

_The ground was stained with blood as the man dropped from the other ninja's grip. The crowd cheered as the little girl fell to the ground by the dead body, calling out for a man who would never answer. _

_Suddenly, the Earth nins turned to the little girl and her mother, who was now standing behind her daughter. Tears ran down both of their faces, dripping into the crimson that settled over the dirt. "Now," the large one declared, the kunai in his hand still dripping blood, "it's your turn, little girl!"_

_"No!" the woman declared stepping in front of her daughter and the body of her husband. "You will not touch her!"_

_"Brave, for such a sickly woman!" he called as he approached._

_Before he reached them, the area was surrounded in smoke. The girl felt herself being lifted up and taken away from the area. She didn't struggle.

* * *

_

_"But... But why?" the woman asked as she sat in front of an old man. He looked over his pipe and grinned. _

_"Your husband was a great help to us. We wish to return the favor." The Third Hokage winked at the little girl, who smiled back shyly._

_"You're giving us so much though... How can I ever repay you?" The woman seemed incredibly nervous, pulling at the edges of her kimono sleeve._

_"By enrolling your daughter in the ninja academy," he answered. "If she's anything like her father, then she will excel as a Leaf kunoichi." _

_She glanced down at the little girl. "Oh please Momma! I wanna be strong, just like Daddy was!" Tears welled in her brown eyes as she looked at the pure determination splashed across the girl's face. She smiled and nodded._

_"Yay!" she hollered. _

_"Now, onto something important," the Third continued. "You can't go by your true names any longer. Too much of a risk. From now on," he motioned to the woman, "you'll go by Toko and your daughter shall go by the name of Tenten."_

_"What about our family name? I refuse to change it." The woman, now known as Toko, crossed her arms._

_He sighed. "Okay, okay. How about no family name? It's not exactly necessary, and you can't go walking around with the name 'Inoue'. You'll be recognized and questioned, which could leak back to the Earth."_

_"Okay," she nodded in agreement. "Do you understand, sweetie? From now on, your name is Tenten."_

_"Um..." young Tenten mumbled. "Okay!"

* * *

_

Tenten awoke to the sound of rain pelting the roof. _I've had that dream so many times it doesn't even affect me anymore. _She sighed and sat up, realizing that her favorite quilt was placed over her body. Her eyes widened when she realized who covered her while she slept. "Neji!"

She darted up and glanced at the clock. _It's past six! Why did he let me sleep so long? _

After a quick look through the house, she realized he was nowhere to be found. Anxiety clouded her thoughts as she ran to the back door, looking for the umbrella that Neji had dropped a couple days earlier. She would just have to go into the streets and look for him.

Fortunately for her, she found him sitting in the yard. Rain pelted his pale skin as his face tilted upward, rivulets of water running through his long hair. She sighed and walked slowly toward him, ignoring the chills running up her body.

"Neji!" she called. The boy seemed to know that she was there and didn't respond.

_What's going through his mind? _she wondered as she knelt down in front of him.

"What?" he asked with a sharp tone.

"I'm sorry I fell asleep. That was bad of me. I should have stayed awake an-"

"It's nothing," he interjected.

She flinched at his tone. "Have you thought about it?" she questioned.

An amused "Hn," escaped his lips. "I had already decided what I was going to do while I was still in the hospital on the first day."

She blinked. _The first day? How could he decide so quickly? _"And?"

He finally brought his eyes level with hers, an eyebrow raising in annoyance. "Don't you understand? Fate has done this to me. It wouldn't have happened unless I was meant to lose the Byakugan. I've decided to have the surgery."

Tenten was shocked. _He's just... giving up? Just like that?_ "But..."

"No. You wouldn't give me your opinion earlier. You wanted me to make a decision. I did." His tone was absolute; his mind was made up.

_He won't get off that easily. _She balled her hands into fists and took a deep breath. "I wanted you to make a decision based on what was best for you personally, not on what 'fate' has intended," she said, venom dripping from her words.

He scowled. "What fate had dictated is what is best. It's always what's best. You must come to accept that fate rules over all of our decisions and every aspect of our lives."

"No! You're wrong!" Tenten smashed her fist into the ground, causing mud to cover her hand. The rain quickly washed it off. "Fate are things that happen, but people control their destinies! That's what is important!"

"How can you say something like that?" he asked in aggravated disbelief. "Your past is riddled with horrible things. How can you say that you controlled anything that happened?"

She glared at him, not caring if he couldn't tell. "I couldn't control those things! They were out of my grasp! But fate gave my father the opportunity to see what was wrong within the Earth! It gave him the choice of betraying his home land or killing people without reason! He chose for himself to do what he did, and I couldn't be more proud!"

"But that doesn't change that all these things happened to you."

"It doesn't give me an excuse, either!" she yelled, coming within inches of his face. A roll of thunder passed overhead, the sky flashing with light moments later. Tenten momentarily saw the confusion and anger written across his face.

He was silent. "Don't you understand what you've been doing all these years, Neji?" she asked, not removing herself from his proximity. Her voice dropped in volume as she brought her hands to his shoulders. "You've been blaming fate for everything that has happened to you."

"But, it was fate that-"

Something in her mind snapped and she pushed him into the ground. "Shut up about your damned fate!" she screamed. "All I've heard from you since we started training together was 'fate' this and 'fate' that. Why don't you start owning up to some of the things you've done and stop trying to blame fate for them?"

"Wha... What are you talking about?" he asked in a small voice, still leaning on his elbows.

"You've blamed your hate for the main family, especially Hinata-chan, on fate. But when you heard the whole story, you found it wasn't fate that took your father from you. It was his decision. Fate gave him an option, and he took the one he thought was best. Perhaps he was blinded by tradition and his own twisted concept of freedom, but we'll never know. You blamed almost killing Hinata-chan during the chunnin exams on fate, because she deserved it! To this day you haven't apologized for putting her in the hospital for months, have you?" His frown deepened, telling her that she was correct. "Why don't you just let it go? Make your own decision. Don't rely on fate to do it for you."

Suddenly Tenten noticed something she hadn't before. Neji was crying. Tears ran from his translucent eyes down his defined cheeks, causing Tenten's heart to quickly contract. "N... Neji?"

A sad smile crossed his face. "You're right Tenten."

Usually she felt a sweet satisfaction when she heard those words; now they made her want to curl up and die.

"I've been hiding behind fate. But what else can I do? All my life, I've heard only about fate. Fate was responsible for this. Fate was responsible for that." Large tears kept rolling down his cheeks like liquid pain, falling to the ground without a second thought. "How can I just put all the responsibility on myself? Fate is always right. How do I know that I can make the right decisions on my own?"

_Finally, _Tenten thought, _I've gotten though to him. _She lightly pulled him up and into her arms. Instead of resisting, he sat his head against her shoulder. "You don't. You make the decision and deal with the consequences yourself. Don't rely on something else to take away the blame."

His arms wrapped around her and crushed her in an embrace. Tenten's heart rate doubled as she closed her eyes, enjoying the warmth he offered against the cold rain.

"It's strange," he said after a few minutes. "I had to become blind to open my eyes."

She let out a small laugh."Neji, that is so cliche," she teased.

His fingers came up and touched her face, brushing back her drenched bangs. This time, she took his hand and sat her cheek against it, enjoying the feel of his rough hands against her skin. A small smile settled on his lips.

"Tenten... Thank you." Neji leaned in slightly, setting his forehead against hers.

"I think this experience has been beneficial for the both of us," she responded.

"Do you know what I miss most about not being able to see?"

"Your Byakugan?" she guessed.

"Wrong. Actually, it's seeing your smile."

She blushed. "Neji, there's no need to lie."

"What if I told you I wasn't?" He guided his mouth down slowly, deliberately.

Tenten was shocked. She almost backed away in fear, but her nerves wouldn't allow her to move. His lips lightly brushed against hers, causing any thought of running away to quickly leave her mind.

Finding her inner courage, she brought her hand behind his head and pulled him into a proper kiss, leaving them both breathless. His bottomless eyes focused on her, and even though she knew he couldn't see her face, she knew he saw her heart.

He saw her heart, and how it beat for him.

* * *

The next morning the couple walked into the Hokage's office. Tsunade lifted an eyebrow, able to tell something was different between them since she had seen them yesterday. She shook her head, deciding to take on one issue at a time.

"So, what have you decided?"

Tenten gulped. The night before, after they went back inside they had dried off and sat on the couch, falling asleep with Sachi curled up nearby. They hadn't even finished talking about his dilemma.

He squeezed her hand, signaling that he was sure of his choice. _Well, then it doesn't matter, _she thought as she smiled at him. _As long as he's happy... I'm happy._

"I've decided that I'll take my chances with regaining my sight myself. Thank you for the offer, Hokage-sama, but I don't want the surgery." He bowed slightly, taking a deep breath.

"Really?" she asked. A brow arched in surprise. "Okay. But until I'm sure that you can function well enough on missions, you and your team are being taken off of active duty."

"That's fine," Tenten responded. "Thank you for your time, Hokage-sama," she said as she mimicked Neji's bow.

"Sure," the woman responded with a grin. "Anytime."

As they exited the Hokage tower Tenten had thousands of questions running through her head, but her mind was silenced when Neji swept her up into a kiss, nearly knocking her off her feet. Her knees were weak by the time they stopped to take a breath.

"That was to prevent you from asking anything," he said with a arrogant grin. She pouted, but he continued. "I chose to not have the operation because I've decided that what I want is more important that what is apparently supposed to happen. I want the ability to use the Byakugan back, so I've decided to take my chances."

She smiled. "I'm glad you made the decision that you wanted."

"I would have made a big mistake without you," he whispered, unaware of the people staring at them as they stood in the middle of the road.

"Maybe," she said. "Aren't you lucky to have me around?"

"Yeah," he replied, kissing her lightly on the forehead, "I am."

They strode away from the tower hand in hand, walking into the unknown together.

**End**


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